Store



(No Model.)

' A HOUSTON.

STORE-1' Patented May 1,1883;

Inventor.

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UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

JAMES A. HOUSTON, or Bos'roN, MASSACHUSETTS.

STOLRE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 276,587, dated May 1,1883.

Application filed February 26,1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known-that I, JAMES ALBERT Hous- TON,of Boston, in the county of Suffolk, of the State of Massachusetts, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Stores or Furniture thereof;and I do hereby declare the same to be described in the followingspecification and represented in the accompanying drawings, of which-Figure 1 is a side elevation of two sets of goods-shelves of a store,their receivin g-station, cash-boys gallery, and bridge arranged inaccordance with my invention, the nature of which :is defined in theclaims hereinafter presented. Fig. 2 is a vertical and transversesection taken through one set of shelves and the station, such sectionalso showing sections of the counters arranged in front and rear of theset of shelves. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the set of shelves andthe cash-boys gallery over it. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of thebridge.

In stores wherein goods are sold by retail and many persons usuallycongregate at times for the purchase of such goods, it has been thecustom for several years to employ messen gers or boys termed cash-boys,whose duty is to receive from the salesmen money paid them for and onaccounts of sales and transmit them to the desk of the cashier, and toreceive from him any change and take it to the salesman, to be given byhim to the customer. When there maybe a crowd or large number of personsor buyers in front of the counters and in the aisles of the store, itoften becomes very difficult for the cash-boys to pass along from thesalesmen to the cashier and back without inconvenience both to such boysand to the customers.

My invention is to provide, in connection with the sets of goods-holding cases or shelves, counters, and the aislesot' a store, means'by whichthe cash-boys can pass to and fro, as occasion may require, withoutgoingupon the floor among and incommoding the customers who may be in frontof the counters or in the aisles or passages; and for this purpose Icombine with the set or sets of shelves for holding goods on sale one ormore galleries or walks arranged directly over them, and leading fromthem to one or more receiving-stations; and when there may be on thefloor an aisle or be desirable or necessary for the messengersorcashboys tocross such aisle, I have the galleries of the sets connectedby one or more bridges, each leading'from one set of shelves on one sideof the aisle to another set of them on the opposite side of such aisle,all being substau' tially as hereinafter described.

In the drawings, A A denote two sets of store-shelves, and B an aislebetween them, there being in front of each of such sets a counter, O, orone in front and another in rear of the set, and arranged therewith inthe usual manner, Each set of shelves, or what is often termed shelving,is to be constructed as represented or in any other proper manner; or itmay be a goods-case provided with doors having glass panes in them. Itis to be about the height that a person of medium size can convenientlyreach to in order for him to hand goods or parcels to the cash-boys orto place such goods on the floor of the gallery or on a shelf, a,extended from the gallery, as shown.

The gallery or walk over one of the sets of shelves is represented at D,as provided on its sides with railings b I), such gallery, by means ofabridge, E, extending over the aisle B, being connected to another suchgallery or to a station, F, arranged on and over the opposite set ofshelves. This station is shown in transverse section in Fig. 2 as aninclosed space provided with shelves '0 c and counters d (1, arranged asrepresented. The station I usually provide with pneumatic tubes ormechanical means by which single parcels or packages may be rapidlyconveyed from it to the cashiers department, and returned therefrom.

having effected at his countera sale of any article and received moneytherefor, a salesman is to hand the money or article, or both, and acertificate giving details of the sale, to a messenger or cash-boy inthe gallery, oris to place the matter on-the gallery-shelfa, for it tobe sub sequeutly removed therefrom by such messenger or cash-boy in thegallery. The messenger or boy, having received the package or packages,next passes along the gallery to the station and delivers the same toone or more attendants there, from whom. he receives the [passagewayextending between two or several sets of such shelves or goods-cases,and it may From the above it will be seen that after money or matter tobe returned and carries arranged on opposite sides of an aisle orpassage-way, and provided with one or more stasuch to the salesman.

I claim- 1. A set of shelves or a case for holding goods or merchandisefor sale, provided with a gallery for cash-boys, arranged with it inmanner and for the purpose substantially as set forth.

2. A set of shelves or a case for holding goods or merchandise for sale,provided with a station and a gallery for cash-boys, all beingsubstantially as set forth.

3. Two sets of shelves or two goods-cases arranged on opposite sides ofan aisle or passage-way, and provided with galleries and a .bridgeconnecting them, such bridge crossing the aisle, and each gallerybeingarranged along the tops of the two sets of shelves or two goods-cases,as and for the purpose substantially as explained.

4. Two sets of shelves or two goods-cases tions and one or moregalleries, and a connecting-bridge, all substantially and arranged asset forth.

5. A set of shelves arranged between two counters, and provided with agallery extending along over the uppermost shell, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

6. Two sets of shelves arranged on opposite sides of an aisle, and notonly provided with galleries and a connecting-bridge thereto forcash-boys or messengers, as set forth, but

having counters arranged on opposite sides of 3 5 and with each set ofshelves, substantially as specified.

JAMES ALBERT HOUSTON.

Witnesses R. H. EDDY, E. B. PRATT.

